The annual Osoyoos Spring Festival returns this year for its third iteration with a mix of events including a play along with a varied musical lineup of paid concerts and afternoon concert at Gyro with admission by donation.
Presented by the Osoyoos & District Arts Council (ODAC) the festival runs from May 15 to 19.
The Festival starts kicks with the premier of an original play, Return to the Double D Diner, the third part of the Double D Diner story, which has been written by Jim Dinwoodie of Osoyoos.
The play will be performed at the Osoyoos Community Theatre on Wednesday, May 15 and Thursday, May 16.
On Thursday, May 16 the first music performance will be held at the Nk’ Mip Desert Cultural Centre. Two time Juno Award nominee Marcel Gagnon will be performing The Drum Is Calling You Home. It will be an evening of song and stories.
Regina’s Jack Semple will be returning to perform at the Osoyoos Community Theatre on the evening of Friday, May 17. Jack is one of the top guitarists in Canada and a talented singer as well, which has seen him win two Western Canadian Music Awards.
One award was for best instrumental album as he performed the music of Gord Lightfoot. The other was for Best Blues Album. Tickets for his show are $28 each and are also on sale at Elvis Fine Jewellery.
Steve Elliott will be performing his Tribute to Elvis on Saturday, May 18 at the Osoyoos Community Theatre. Tickets are $28 and are also being sold at Elvis Fine Jewellery and on the Osoyoos Arts Council website.
An afternoon matinee show will also be held at the Osoyoos Community Theatre featuring three performers.
Vincent De Cowans begins with the Music of Neil Young, local singer/songwriter, Kansas Lee, will then do a set and Alyssa Neilsen will complete the Saturday Matinee performances with the music of Patsy Cline & Friends.
The Saturday matinee shows start at 1 p.m. and are priced at $20.
A combined “golden ticket” can be purchased for Jack Semple, the Saturday matinee lineup and the Steve Elliott show for $50 (a savings of $26).
And on Sunday, May 19, there will be several performances at Gyro Park thanks to a generous donation by the Osoyoos Elks Club. The event will feature a market and food trucks with admission by donation.
Following a welcome by Osoyoos Indian Band member and musician Francis Baptiste, music will start at about 11:30 a.m. and continue into the evening.
There will be several performances including gospel music by Steve Elliott, a Scottish Pipe Band, Summerland Pipe Band, jazz musicians, The Cawston Group, Francis Baptiste playing folk/roots and indigenous music, Celtic band Kuja Collective and local rockers, Johnny Carwash and The Desert Dawgz.
Check osoyoosartscouncil.com for the full Sunday lineup closer to the festival as it still is being finalized.
And to wrap up the event the Fireworks Committee, which formerly did the fireworks at the Cherry Fiesta/Canada Day event, will be presenting a fireworks show to close out the Osoyoos Spring Festival.
For more information and ticket purchases visit the ODAC’s festival website. Tickets are also available at ODAC Hub 8716 Main Street Osoyoos, Wayside Select Books & Art and Elvis Fine Jewellery.
This article was contributed by the Osoyoos & District Arts Council (ODAC).
